Before the season began for the Whitehall baseball team, they knew they didn't want their year defined by what they lost.

Yes, they were without the majority of their pitching staff that led them to a Lehigh Valley Conference Championship last season. And yes, those arms accounted for 18 of their 22 wins.

But this was a new year. It was 2014 and they wanted to write a new chapter. They wanted to be defined by what they did this season.

And what they did was finish 16-5, earning a berth in the Lehigh Valley Conference Championships, as well as a place in the District XI AAAA tournament.

They played as a team, led by another strong group of seniors who got them in a position to defend their league title.

Manager Shaun O'Boyle said that he was happy with the year. While it could have been longer, they remained a tough group of ballplayers who played hard.

"I was disappointed we couldn't get a couple more wins in the playoffs, but you can't be disappointed in the way they played," said O'Boyle.

He said that most observers didn't expect much given their heavy loss to graduation, but those in their circle expected just as much. That confidence grew from their talented group of seniors, all of whom will now leave the program, creating another void to fill.

The pitching staff loses ace Jeff Charles, along with Matt Hassick, the latter going 4-0 this season.

While Charles's presence on the mound will be hard to replace, the senior was named to the LVC All-Conference team as an infielder.

Joining Charles on the LVC All-Conference team was Tyler Bridgwood, getting the nod for the second year in a row. He'll also be graduating as he heads to Lehigh University to continue his baseball career.

At first, Matt Melosky also graduates, while outfielder Adam Miller will also turn in his spikes, as will seniors Richard Yost and Matthew Rohrbach.

Perhaps the biggest shoes to fill will be Ryan Bonshak's, their catcher for the last four years. Bonshak earned LVC All-Conference Honorable Mention this year, and was a big reason why they got back into the league championships, sparking the team from the leadoff position.

However, Bonshak's contribution was bigger than a box score. O'Boyle said it was his presence, his leadership.

"I always say, when trying to replace Ryan, it's not just the stats, it's the fifth coach put there," said O'Boyle. "He was a great leader."

O'Boyle admits that will be a tough role to fill, but he's confident someone will emerge.

With Bonshak's departure, that means their entire infield will have to be replaced when Jake Meyers pitches next season. O'Boyle knows that will be a big challenge, but also believes that it means a big opportunity for the underclassmen.

"That's going to be the biggest area that needs to be addressed," said O'Boyle.

Returning for the Zephs will be Meyers. He'll anchor the pitching staff next season, and also represents their leading hitter among the field of returnees with a .309 average.

Also returning is center fielder Gianni Sinatore. Sinatore will also see time on the mound next year as will Alexander Bruneio and Tyler Kline.

O'Boyle believes that with a strong set of arms, they'll once again be able to compete despite losing eight seniors.

"If you have good arms, you'll always be competitive, and that's what we have," said O'Boyle.

The also return Tyler Cyriax who saw plenty of playing time this season, as well as Ruben Rodriguez.

They'll also have to produce runs, and the emergence of Bruneio, along with Meyers, Sinatore, Cyriax and Kline, should provide a strong foundation.

"A lot of these players are going to be taking on bigger roles," said O'Boyle.

Ands while once gain they lose a wealth of experience, O'Boyle believes they can continue to be a strong force in the LVC next season.